How to Apply Milk of Magnesia as Primer (Easy)

If you are a beauty enthusiast like me, you may have read about a little bottle of laxative called Milk of Magnesia that has taken over the beauty community on the internet by storm (and for good reason). Specifically, people are using this product (which usually costs less than $10) as a “makeup trick” and alternative to makeup primer.

So, does Milk of Magnesia really stack up as primer alternative? How do you apply it? Are there any side effects? In this post, I will go over all these questions and provide for you everything you need to know about the benefits of using Milk of Magnesia in your beauty routine. 

What is Milk of Magnesia?

Magnesia milk is NOT a beauty product! It was created as a laxative to relieve constipation and an antacid to help people relieve heartburn and indigestion. This means that the products that you find at your local drugstore are not meant to be applied to your face. They are meant to be orally consumed. People have tried to apply this product on the face (I don’t know why) and discovered its beauty benefits.

When you apply milk of magnesia for your skin, it does a great job soaking up oil and tightening your pores. This is especially good for people with oily skin. It’s also easy to wash off making it ideal for people who may want to use this for oil spot treatments.

Good and Cheap Makeup Primer Alternative?

Milk of Magnesia works great as a primer alternative. Here are the reasons why:

• It dries white: Blending foundation is much easier when the base is white. You can easily see where you applied foundation, and which spots you may have missed.
• It absorbs a lot of oil: Oil control is key to ensuring that your makeup stays on as long as you need it. It reduces the need of oil blotting papers during those long days out.
• It tightens your pores: Think of a clay mask, once dried, magnesia milk helps to pull our pores together, keeping them tight.
• It protects your skin: The dried solution provides a protective barrier between your face and your makeup.
• It washes off easily: Just use water and a towel, it’s pretty simple.
• It’s very affordable: At less than $10 a bottle and readily available in many drugstores, people are taking notice of this product.
• Works great in warm weather: This stuff will keep your makeup together, even on hot sunny days. 

When you consider the above points, it’s easy to see why using milk of magnesia is good makeup primer alternative. It’s surprising that you get so many beauty benefits from a non-beauty product. Try Phillips’ Original Milk of Magnesia if you want to give this a try after you finish reading this post.

But what are the risks? Let’s talk about them in the next section:

The Side Effects of using Milk of Magnesia as a Primer

• Dryness: There is such thing as using too much with Milk of Magnesia. Even for people with oily skin, allowing this stuff to sit on top of your for long periods of time could dry up your skin, making it sensitive to skin irritations and other problems. If you have sensitive skin the begin with, it’s advised that you do not use this product.
• Bleaching: One of the main ingredients is sodium hypochlorite, an ingredient commonly found in bleach. This ingredient is extremely harsh on the skin and may cause blisters, redness and soreness.
• Allergic Reactions: this may or may not apply to you. However, certain ingredients inside the product could trigger allergic reactions. Always remember to read the label and test on a small portion of your skin first. Know the risks before using this project.

• High pH – Your skins ph is slightly acidic which supports an environment for good bacteria to live. Magnesia milk damages this acidic mantle, and harmful bacteria has a chance to harm the skin. This could cause acne and irritation. Good skincare products have pH ranging from 5-8.

Although there are certain risks associated with using this project, it doesn’t mean that you should stop using it altogether. Also use in moderation and test on your skin before committing. If you don’t feel comfortable with it, it’s ok, there are plenty of makeup primers out there for all skin types.

How Do You Use Milk of Magnesia as Face Mask For Wrinkles?

Yes! You can use milk of magnesia to help smooth out your wrinkles as well.

Here are 2 things you can do:

• Use it as a primer to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.

What to do: Shake the bottle well and apply a thin layer in the wrinkled area. Wait for it to dry and then apply your favorite foundation.

If you want to learn about applying foundation, concealers and primers, check out my guide here. 

• Use it like a clay mask to tighten your skin and pull flat the wrinkles.

What to do: Shake the bottle well and apply a thin layer all over your face. Wait for it to dry and add additional layers if desired. Keep on for an extra 10 -15 mins then wash off with lukewarm water. Ensure that your skin is clean, and that the solution is completely washed off before applying your favorite moisturizer. 

Should You Use Milk of Magnesia on Face With Acne?

I highly would not recommend for you to use milk of magnesia on your face if you have acne breakouts. The product will cause dryness which will irritate your skin even more. Furthermore, bleaching agents may bur acne sores, causing even more skin issues.  It’s best to deal with your acne another way first if you are considering using this product. There are natural remedies that you can try to deal with acne and acne scars and it’s recommended that you try those first.

Does Milk of Magnesia Lighten Skin (Skin Whitening)?

There has been no evidence that suggest milk of magnesia could help with lighten skin or used for skin whitening. It contains a bleaching agent, but this doesn’t mean it will lighten your skin. Therefore, it shouldn’t be used for this purpose if you’re considering it.

Bottom Line

Like I have mentioned in the beginning of this post. Milk of Magnesia is NOT a beauty product. Sure, you can use it for an occasionally beauty hack, but long-term usage could damage your skin. Why risk it when there are plenty of good options out there?

If you choose to use this product, always test and use in moderation.